Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2017
349. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of concessionary applications for school transport for the 2017-2018 school year by county; the number of which are new applications, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37731/17]
View answerSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
During the 2016/17 school year almost 116,000 children, including some 12,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
In general, children are eligible for school transport if they satisfy the distance criteria and are attending their nearest school.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only which is subject to a number of conditions including the availability of spare seats on an existing service and payment of the annual charge.
It is important that the terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.
I have requested Bus Éireann to provide the Deputy with the requested information when it is finalised for the 2017/18 school year.
